Books Read in February 2023!

Posted On February 27, 2023

Hi Readers! Another month gone way too quickly. I read FIVE BOOKS across 1876 PAGES! I was quite happy with my reading this month. I read one big book, two mid-sized books and two shorter books. They were all wildly different from each other so I wasn’t bored at all the entire month. Check them out below!

~~THE GREATEST KASHMIRI STORIES EVER TOLD by NEERJA MATTO~~

The Greatest Kashmiri Stories Ever Told is a collection of 25 short stories. Yes, a few of the stories highlight the topics that you’d think it would, but because they are in the form of a story, the impact is so much deeper. There are also some relatable stories, some fables, some stories depicting human emotions in a raw way and some with magical realism. I absolutely loved reading all the stories because you never know what you are getting into with the next one. The surprise factor was wonderful and gave the book an edge. I have rated The Greatest Kashmiri Stories Ever Told by Neerja Matto at 4/5 stars!

You can read the review here!

~~BEYOND THE WAND: THE MAGIC AND MAYHEM OF GROWING UP A WIZARD by TOM FELTON~~

I meant to write a review on this autobiography but never got around to it, so here is a very brief review, I suppose. When I started reading the book, I was immediately sucked into the Harry Potter universe. In the initial chapters, we are acquainted with the young Tom and his pre-Potter days. Then, come the Potter movies. I enjoyed reading through the behind-the-scenes fun and knowing what actually goes on around a film set. After this, there were chapters dedicated to people, which felt a bit like reading essays on how each person impacted Tom’s life. But then, it again picked up for better towards the end. Overall, it was a great fun ride with humour and honesty. I have rated Beyond the Wand: The Magic and Mayhem of Growing Up a Wizard by Tom Felton at 4/5 stars!

~~UPSTREAM: SELECTED ESSAYS by MARY OLIVER~~

Upstream started with an ingenious writing style combining writing and nature. But, then it proceeded to weird nature stories which were Too Much Information. Later, it went on to the author reviewing her favorite authors’ work. I think that when you are an established prominent poet and author, you really do get the freedom to right whatever the hell you want, because readers will always find their own meanings from the twisted stories, rambling essays and pointless information. Anyway, I had my ups and downs with this book, in the extreme with high highs and low lows. I have rated Upstream: Selected Essays by Mary Oliver at 3.5/5 stars!

You can read the review here!

~~THE LUMINARIES by ELEANOR CATTON~~

The Luminaries was the highlight of my month for two reasons. Firstly, because I read it for almost the entirety of the month and secondly because the story was really interesting. About 19 characters spanning an 832-page mystery novel closely intricated with astrology and with a touch of magical realism. It was a truly adventurous ride reading through this book. I have rated The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton at 4.5/5 stars!

You can read the review here!

~~CLEOPATRA AND FRANKENSTEIN by COCO MELLORS~~

I needed to read something light after finishing The Luminaries, so I picked Cleopatra and Frankenstein. There were a few nuances in the passive story, but overall, I would like to call this a book of clichés. Be it the meet cute between Cleo and Frank, or their depressing marriage or their predictable attempts to save the marriage or infidelity or any other cliché. I am going to write a review on this soon, so stay tuned! I have rated Cleopatra and Frankenstein by Coco Mellors at 3/5 stars!

~~FEBRUARY READING STATS & TEMPLATE~~

So that was my February in books! Next month is March, which is my birthday month! So, I plan on reading only great books or those books which I think have the potential to be great in my opinion. How was your month? Did you read a lot or meet your monthly TBR goal?

Until next time,